


Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Secret Tale

by WhiteHope



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-16 19:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14817827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteHope/pseuds/WhiteHope
Summary: Cecelia is a young spanish girl with a hard life, forced to grow up without a father and the conditions of life. Teased by people with money, never loved by her mother. Until she goes to sea and comes into the Devil´s Triangle. And even she learns, that dead men tell no tales and reveals a dark secret.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi :)  
> I want to say first, that I am german. So you can find me at english and german stories. If my english is very bad, you have to tell me. But I hope you understand what I´m writing ;)  
> This is a translation of a story I posted once in a german fandom. Maybe I will post it in german here, but first I want to translate it. Because I was often asked after that.  
> I wish you a lot of fun at reading and hope you are not mad with me for my english.  
> Greetings  
> WhiteHope

**Prologue:**

The night was dark and starlit. The moon shone brightly and silver at the sky, he covered the stars with their weak light. And he made the shallow the look silver.

At the ledge of a window sat a young woman. Her hair had a strange colour, a mix of blond and brown. A colour better known as "street mutt blond". Her pale skin seems to glimmer in the moonlight, blue-green Eyes looked to the stars. In these eyes were tears while she saw constellations at the sky. She didn´t knew anything about stars, but once there was _he_ , who told her enough about it.

Suddenly she saw it. _This_ constellation. Five stars, three in a row and with two more. _"A trident" he_ told her _"It says, this is the trident of Poseidon. He can show you your way, just like the polar star."_ And since _he_ told her that, she saw every time she looked at the stars, to this constellation. And every time _he_ did it with her. When _he_ was with her. Cleary the young woman rembered the first time she met him...

Months ago on a feast. Her father was one of the highest people in this society and of course he get an invitation for this feast. And he took his only one daughter with him. _"Show honor and modesty."_ He told her again and again, same as her mother. Both of them showed her this, until she was annoyed. But she never dared to say a word against her parents.

She sat on a table. Everywhere has been chatted, laughed, danced and drunk. Surely she wanted to dance too, but no man asked her for a dance, even though she was a beautiful woman. So she stayed where she was and looked with straight attitude, but with unconcealed boringness, inside nothing. Her glass with wine stood in front of her, but she didn´t touch it, she hated alcohol. But her father did. She didn´t knew where he was, but the last time she saw her, he was with other high people of societo and a glass of vodka in his hand.

And then she felt a look on her. _His_ look, like she knew later. She turned her head in this direction and saw _him_ a few tables away of her own sitting. With straight attidue and one untouched glass of wine in front of _him_ , like her own. _He_ was a high ranked man, she knew that.

At this litle moment she felt attracted by _him_. Where she saw _him_ the first time. When _he_ lifted, she looked fast away of him and saw to her glass. And then she was adressed. With warm and lovely, but dark voice, _he_ asked her for a dance. Smiling she accepted, took _his_ offered hand and let this man pull her to the dancefloor.

 _He_ was an excellent dancer. _He_ led her gracious and she let him, one hand in her own, the other hand on her waist. But she didnt felt uncomfortable, like she did by her mother, when she practiced dancing with her daughter. With _him_ it was fun. And _he_ started a chat with her. Without force. And she answered without any worries, but one thing she didn´t ask - _his_ name. But she didn´t have to, because she already knew it. Her father told her about _him_.

They danced the whole evening together and no one was exhausted. And so they danced until the feast ended. _"Do you give me a promise?" he_ asked her, when the last ended and she kinked politely and thanked _him_ for the dance. _"Which?"_ she asked. _"Promise me, that I will see you again!" he_ said. And she did.

And kept her word. After the feast she saw _him_ two more times. Not in the town, but at the harbour, where a giant galleon were standing. _His_ ship. And this two times _he_ sat on a box. And two times she sat to next to  _him_. And when _he_ started to tell her stories, she listened interested. Stories of the sea, beautiful places and more.

But the time should come when _he_ had to go. On the sea. On the last day she sat sad on one of the boxes next to him. _He_ saw that and asked her for that. _"Will I see you again?"_ she asked. And _he_ nodded. _"You will, I promise. And will you wait for me?"_ And she nodded too. And then they kissed.

The kiss was beautiful for her. Just beautiful, even when it cames fast and quick. But she liked it and enjoyed it. And when the night comes, they did it.

They were for one night man ond woman.

It was her first time, that she slepped with a man. And it was - just like the kiss - beautiful for her. _He_ even was careful with her. And _he_ didn´t laugh or anything else, when she confessed it to him. _He_ just gently stroking her cheek and meaning that that would not be bad at all. She just had to tell, if _he_ would go to far. But she enjoyed it. Every touch, every kiss - was beautiful.

But on the next morning, she get a surprise. The other half of her bed was empty. There wasn´t even a touch of warm. However, she found something on the pillow. A silver bracelet.

It was simple. Just a silver bond. The pendant was a little amber in form of a star. From this moment on she wore the bracelet, but payed attention, that no one saw it. Nor her mother and father. They didn´t like it, wenn she goes to the harbour to meet _him_ , but they did´t said anything. But still she knew how much they disagreed with her in that.

The days were coming and going. From days to weeks and from weeks to months. But _he_ didn´t return. Every day she saw hopefully to the horizon and the sea, full of hope that she would see _his_ ship there. But often she saw simple merchant ships.

And then, for her came the worst day of her life. She never lost her hope that she would see _his_ ship on the horizon. But in the maintime another man looked for her and courted for her. Her parents liked and they don´t understood why her daughter didn´t want to marry him. And they made him her fiance and set a day for the wedding. But one day should be the day, when she learned that she was pregnant.

Of course it was a shock for her. Days and weeks ago she felt it draw and pull in her stomach, but she didn´t spent more time to think about that. She thought she ate too much, but in the same time, she felt bald and throwed up. Her mother was very worried about her and said, that she has to go the doctor. But she didn´t want to and said "no". She was sure that her mother would force her to the doctor, when she felt for the first time a little kick in her stomach. And from that day she knew what was wrong with her.

In her were different feelings, fighting with each other. First she was happy, but then she get scared. And with that she get despaired. The child could be only _his_ one. There wasn´t another way. She didn´t slept with another man. But she never thought, that it would happen at the first time. And she never thought about kids. In panic she touched her stomach. And she felt with terrify and horrorfy that she already had a baby bump. Suddenly she wished that _he_ was with her. How would _he_ react, when _he_ knows about it? She couldn´t say.

She tried to hide her pregnancy of her parents and her fiance and wore her dresses wider. Her parents looked very confused, but they didn´t said anything. But her bump grew and grew and someday she couldn´t hide it anymore. She rembered well the reactions of her parents when they saw her baby bump for the first time.

Hey mother collapsed with a horrified look in her face. Her father just stood there, he didn´t said anything. But in his face she could see different feelings. But never happiness or luck. It was - for her own shock - anger, hate and disgust. _"A shame! What a shame! You little bitch! That´s the way you thank your mother and me for everything we did for you!"_ he shouted suddenly. And she was quiet and didn´t said anything. _"Youd godless hoe. Get out! Now! You are not our daughter anymore! Go to the father of this bastard!"_ he continued the fight. The pain exploded like a bomb in her. Her father never said anything like tat.

He continued shouting and ran into her room. He tore her dresses apart. The noble ones, he gave to her, he tore with anger in his eyes. The simple ones he throwed her in her face. When her closet was empty, he gave a her a strong cuff and then he throwed her out of the house. In the mud.

Sad, hurt and with hanging head she went over the street. Out of the noble part of the city. People laughed at her, when they saw her. Pregnant and with dresses on her arms. She was sad when she went into a small hut, which would be her new home. She layed her dresses layed on the floor, before she started to cry. This all was her own fault.

Suddenly she cursed of herself. Why did she hoped that _he_ would return? Why she made this promise? If she had done what her parents wanted of her, she never would be here. _Ths child!,_ she thought. _This child ruined everything. His child!_

And from this day forward she stopped to hope waiting for _him_. Sometimes she bet herself, when she felt that she waited again for _him_ and saw to the horizon. Bitter she threw the bracelet in the sea. The only piece of connection to him was now this child.

 

 _He_ never returned.


	2. Cecelia

"Look! There she is!"

"The fatherless hore!"

Annoyed Cecelia twisted her eyes and tried to concentrate, while she cleaned the dirty window from the outside. The sneering eyes of her tormentors were straight on her and she felt little, but she continued straight. She even put her chin up, while she cleaned the window with a black scarf.

Suddenly a kick came from her left side, whcih made her fall. Cecelia couldn´t keep the balance and fell into the mud and grass. A stinging pain was in her hand and her knee hurted too. She heard loud laughing while she saw to herself.

 _Oh no!,_ she thought. Her ragged grey dress was dirty, everywhre. She doesn´t needed to came under her mother´s eyes like that. She would freak out.

"Look how she lays there in dirt!" A young boy with long blond hair shouted that and pointed with a finger on her. Cecelia felt dirty and full of shame. So strong that she would like to run away. Somewhere where nobody would find her for the next hours.

"The place where she belongs!" A girl with long, black hair and blue eyes said that. Her skin was pale as snow and her dress was very impensive. Cecelia was sure, that she didn´t want to know how much it costs. She could only dream of a dress like this.

"Dirty, little hoe.", shouted the blond boy and spat in front of her. Cecelia became angry. Her mother and her were poor people, but she wasn´t a hoe. He only said this, because no man wanted her. Most girls and women in her age were already married or engaged. With men who were older then them and had money. Money was always important, for everyone. No one cared that the man was old enough to be the father. And she - no men showed interest on her. She only gets lustful looks where Cecelia forced herself not to throw up. They looked at her like a piece of flesh or grinned so dirty. They only wanted her for a night in their bed, like a hoe.

"Are you speechless, hoe?" Another girl said with long brown hair und a dress that was very familiar with the dress the black-haired girl wore. It wasn´t blue, but pink. She grinned so arrogant that Cecelia became angry again.

 _"Cállate!_ " She growled on spanish and stood up slowly. She didn´t care that she was full of dirt, but in the girls eyes with the pink dress there was now an angry look.

"Don´t get naughty, hoe!", she snapped at Cecelia. The boy with the blond hair snorted and lyed his arms over the girls shoulders.

"Let her! She isn´t worth it!" With a girl-like snorte they turned away from her und went away from her. Cecelia looked after them with sprinkled eyes. She hated this girls and this boy and was in the same moment jealous. They could do anything they wanted and when they wanted and buy everything. They didn´t had to worry about the next day. For a short moment she felt pain again. Because of the words of them and bitterness about her own situation.

Her and her mother lived in a little hut, that looked like it would fall in the next weather. They hadn´t more than they wore and what was in the house. Hey "room" was a little chamber, the "bed" was only hay and her blanket was ragged. But still she was proud of something.

Her cards collection.

She really liked it to collect nautical charts. Very often she stole herself to the harbour and hoped that the sailors would lose their charts. And when not she stole it. Clever and fast. Something she was good in it. _A treacherous thief. Steals you before you see and feel it,_ she heard once in the city. And she was proud of it, even when she was feared of getting caught. Then stealing would be punished with torture.

But still there she studied every chart with glowing and shining eyes. Now she knew every island and every place at sea. Especially one place interested her.

The Devil´s Triangle.

She marked it with her own blood on one chart. A Triangle, full of secrets, but with the reputation to be murderous. Not every ship would be coming out again. And they were never survivors. And if, then one man and he became fast crazy. Because the only survivor told about ghosts.

 _What are this ghosts, who make the Triangle to this place? Do they seek revenge? And if, for what?_ Cecelia often asked herself that. The stories, the legends and myths of the sea were always something that interested her. Many nights she didn´t slept because of that. And deep inside her she wishes to go to the sea. Her look went to the ocean, she felt desire. She would like it to be out there. To feel the wind in her face and the sounds of the sea around her...

But this would never happen! She was here and would never go far. On this island Santa Mária, not far away from Saint Martin. But this islands didn´t liked each other, there were differences. Because one island was an english one and the other a spanish one. The only thing that connected was their hate for pirates.

"Cecelia! How long will you sit there and dream? Dreaming doesn´t bring us cleaned windows!" The angry voice of her mother woked her up. She blinked and saw her mother. The window was wide opened and she saw her daughter with sprakling green eyes. Cecelia lowed her head, her wish to go to the sea was every time further away from her when her mother spoke with her daughter like this.

 _"Perdón.",_ she said and took the scarf. She was annoyed. With this thing she would make the window even dirty. "That doesn´t help us!" Her mother hissed and throwed something cold and grey in Cecelias face. It didn´t hurt and Cecelia saw a "new" scarf. No less ragged than the old one, but better than the dirty one. "Move!" "Yes, mother!", said Cecelia and started again to clean the window. The harsh tone of her mother hurted her, over and over again. And she was sure that her mother didn´t love her.

 _Where is my father? Who is he?,_ she asked herself and was in thoughts again. She didn´t knew who her father was, she grew up with her mother.

 _He is a spanish captain,_ was the only thing her mother said when Cecelia asked her about that. The voice of her mother was sad and Cececlia didn´t dared to ask again. She couldn´t asses her mother. _I want to go to the sea and find him!,_ thought Cecelia and determination seized her like lightning. _I wanna know where he is and who he is. Cost it what it wants!_


	3. Plans

Cecelia didn´t slept in this night. She heard her mother breathing in her sleep, but is was still. And cold. The night was alsways as cold as ice, but Cecelia didn´t care. She sat on her "bed", in her hand was a chart. Only the week light of a chandle gave her light, she let her fingers ran over the chart. The lines were brown, but still there and good to see.

 _Devil´s Triangle! Where I want to go!,_ thought Cecelia. The triangle was very fascinating for her and she knew that. She wanted to go there, so much that it hurts.

 _But how? Where shall I start? With my father or the triangle?,_ she often asked. She knew how dangerous the triangle was. If she would die...

 _Then it´s so!,_ she thought without feelings. She would die in a fight against the secrets of the triangle and not as a coward...Coward...Suddenly Cecelia got an idea. A hard idea which could end deadly if she would recognized.

Dressing up as a man.

Critically, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her bust size was not a problem. She had hardly any of them. Assuming she could go fast as a man. Only her long hair and voice could betray her then. And of course her clothes. With a dress she did not need to go to the harbor, because she would immediately scared away. _Shoes I´ll get everywhere, but I don´t know from where I shall take the pant, shirt and coat? Maybe a hat?,_ she asked herself. She had to stole it. Only her voice and long hair would betray hern then.

There was a slight melancholy and her fingers found their way into her dirty mane automatically. Her black hair went up to her ribs, was long and curly and when it was hot heavy, but still she loved her long mane. It was the only evidence that spoke and emphasized her femininity. But Cecelia suppressed this sadness. Her hair was her last concern. And besides, it would grow again! She could cut it with a sword.

A sword! She would have to learn how to fight the sword if she really wanted to board a ship. Again the question arose from where she should take such a thing. Cecelia sighed. That was more planning than initially thought. She could only hope that the next days would bring a ship here.

 

The fate did her this favor! Even on next day a ship came to the harbour of Santa Mária, named the _Screaming Lily._ It was an easy merchant ship with the spanish flag. And still full with cannos, rifles and barrels with gunpowder. It was a beautiful ship, Cecelia realized as she looked toward the harbor and saw the _Screaming Lily_ at the docks. From afar, she saw men dragging boxes. Only a lot less than expected and quickly it came out that a pirate attack had taken place.

 _"Merchant ships always are a target for pirate attacks.",_ her mother once said to her. Cecelia thought it was unusual. Merchant ships were usually sunk? And why didn´t the pirates took everything? She thought it was very strange. "Go to the harbour, Cecelia!", her mother said to her and hold some coins in her hand. "Maybe you can exchange them for fish." Cecelia nodded and took the coins. At the same time, she was filled with joyful excitement. It was a good opportunity to steal clothes for her plan. And with a rare smile, she walked the short distance down to the harbor.

 

Crates of crates piled up on the docks. Small wooden boxes, filled with valuable goods and Cecelia had to hold on to not just grab a box and walk home. But then she could put the noose around her neck right away. With attentive and longing eyes, she watched the men carrying or lowering the boxes on board. The desire to go to sea flared up again in her, more violent than ever.

 _I´ll come on this ship!_ , she thought determined and turned away with a heavy heart. And immediately found an old fisherman, who was just throwing the net with the fish ashore. There was a disgusting, dull splash as the dead fish hit. But the fisherman smiled when he saw her and she pulled up the corners of her mouth to smile back.

The fisherman was an old, friendly man with everyone liked to nagotatitve. He had sailed for years until he met his wife on Santa Mária and never left her. Even after her death, he never went to sea again, but moved to fishing. Cecelia had never hesitated to ask him for advice and liked to listen to his old stories.

"You, again.", he smiled at her mit yellow tooth. "Would you like to have fish or stories?" His voice was durk, but full of warmth and Cecelia smiled. "Only fish for this time, I have much more things to do today.", she answered sad and gave him the coins. There were six, but the fisherman didn´t care. He took two and gave her two fishes in a bag for that.

"Is that okay?", he asked Cecelia. She nodded. Two fishes were good and her stomach made loud noise. Fish was eatable and it filled the stomach. Her mother knew how to do it. "Yes, thank you.", she said and nodded at him. "You´re welcome.", he said and turned to his fishes again, while Cecelia even turned away from him and wanted to go home.

"That's what someone wants! ", She suddenly heard a male voice a little further away. She turned her head and saw two men placing a box on the floor and then walking away again. Cecelia was confused. Why was this box so far away from the other boxes? The curiosity grabbed her. What was in it? She glanced around to see if the men from the ship saw her, but nothing. It did not seem like a coincidence that the box stood here. What had the man said? _"That's what someone wants!"_ She quickly ran to the box and looked inside. Her heart started beating faster than she saw the contents. The realization of her plan now seemed close enough to touch, joyful excitement throbbing through her veins.

In the box were pants, shoes, coats and even a hat. Cecelia pierced her fingernails into the box with joy. She did not care that they broke. Quickly, before anyone could see, she grabbed a dirty white shirt, a black and blue coat, black pants and shoes. Everything about their size. She quickly stuffed her clothes under the skirt of the dress and ran home, always careful that the clothes did not slide down and make a happy face.

Soon she would be at sea.

 

"Ah, very good.", her mother said and smiled, when she saw the fishes. "I will cook a good dinner. _Muy bien,_ Cecelia.", she continued and she patted her shoulder. She just nodded curtly, mumbled a "Thank you, Mother," and then quickly disappeared into her chamber. Relieved, she breathed, because she could not have held the clothes any longer. Quick she took out her prey and grinned. Well, the pants were worn and the coat had its best days already behind. But it would be enough. 

_Soon! Soon I´m on the high sea!_


	4. Stories Of Sea

Groaning, Cecelia rode the ragged scraps of cloth over the dirty deck. The hot sun burned her neck and the sweat was written on her forehead. She was tired and exhausted and yet she wiped continuously across the deck.

Two days ago the _Screaming Lily_ left Santa Mária. She was already two days away from "home." More than one time her thoughts went back to the island and to her mother?

How was her reaction when she saw the empty bed? When she saw the dress and hair? Cecelia could imagine how she grinned satisfied, now her "mouth" was not there anymore. She shaked her head to keep this thoughts away from her. Her mother never loved her, so why should she think about her?

"Why do you shake your head?" a ship´s boy asked her, who cleaned the deck in the opposite of her. He saw to Cecelia with curiosity. Cecelia hated it when someony looked at her like this, especialle because she was feared that her camouflage would be discovered.

The boy was younger as Cecelia, had black hair, which confused, but eyes as bright blue as the sea around them. Slightly tanned skin. And a golden yellow, battered coat with a brown hat. As far as she knew, his name was Sergio. Anyway, one of the soldiers had called him that.

"I just thought about something," she replied dismissively and continues to brush the deck. This work was really exhausting, but she did not complain.

"And about what?", Sergio kept asking with bright eyes. The curiosity in Cecelia practically jumped in the face.

"It's none of your business!" She said in a cool voice so he did not get the idea to ask her further. She had no desire for a question-and-answer-session. She prefered to clean the whole cruise over the deck. Sergio jerked back slightly, his eyebrows moving towards the hairline. Clearly. Surprisingly, he raised both hands.

"Perdón, did not know that you are so angry."

"Cállate!" Shouted the boatsman at that moment. A huge man with dark hair and menacing, poisonous, black eyes now on Sergio. He became noticeably smaller under that look, as Cecelia realized with a touch of satisfaction, but she kept her tongue. She certainly did not want to mess with this man, let alone fall into his grudge.

"You should work and not gossip like a washerwoman!" Hissed the boatman dangerously. _"Vamos!"_

 _"Si, Señor!"_ Sergio said frantically and eagerly got back to work. Cecelia grinned inside.

 

Another hard day drew to an end and Cecelia fell exhausted into her hammock. The life on board was really exhausting and she wiped the sweat from her forehead with a hand and a few confused, dirty strands of hair with it. It was really tough.

When she was done with deck scrubbing she was ousted for sailmaking. This reminded her of her home when she sewed tiny holes. That meant, if sewing kit was available. This task had hurt her inwardly because of that bite in her heart, but she had not dared to contradict the boatsman. Whose sparkling eyes had rested on her the whole time, causing her discomfort. Accordingly, her fingers had trembled slightly and made it difficult to do the work.

Tired, Cecelia crossed her face. She felt as if she was about to fall asleep and sleep through a month. But the boatswain would awaken her, as she did every morning, with the others - soldiers and shipboys - at sunrise.

Beside her, Sergio lounged in his hammock. The boy had taken off his hat and pinched his nostrils. He looked as tired and exhausted as Cecelia, she noticed. "Hey, you!", He spoke to her at once, his tired eyes glittering at her. Only by no means hostile or burning curious. Only friendly and he smiled too. He was very sympathetic. "What´s your name? I've seen you for a long time and wanted to ask you that for a long time! ", He said in quick spanish and sat down halfway up.

"Pedro is my name," Cecelia said. "And yours?" She asked, but only out of courtesy. There was mistrust in her. What if he just wanted to annoy her?

"Sergio, I'm glad to meet you," he grinned at her. "Tell me, how did you get on this ship?" He asked. Cecelia swallowed and narrowed her eyes. Should that be the question-and-answer-session the boatman had prevented during the day?

"I asked the captain and he agreed," she said, adding, "I joined the last port. You?" "Two harbors in front of you!" Grinned Sergio and now seemed to be in a chitchat mood "I really wanted to go to sea, like my dad, he's a soldier in the Armada Española!" He said, and there was pride in his voice. Cecelia bit back a snort, but she realized she had that in common with him. Her two fathers were in the Spanish army. Only she could not proudly tell him about it, and this thought again made for this stitch in the heart.

"Mine too," she said, raising her head a little higher. "He's in the Armada, too!"

"Cool," grinned Sergio. "Does he also tell you always stories and myths about the sea?" Cecelia shook her head, the stitch in her heart a little more painful. All knowledge of the sea, every legend, every myth, she had read alone or listened to.

"Pity," said Sergio with a slight regret in his voice. "Do you know the story of _El Matador Del Mar?_ "

Cecelia frowned, confusion rising in her. Even though she knew many legends, this name was new to her. Although no - not quite! Something in her brain stirred in those four words. Maybe she had picked it up somewhere.

"Capitán Armando Salazar, the butcher of the sea," said Sergio and his eyes sparkled. Astonished, Cecelia noticed that there was awe and respect in it. So it had to be a size of sea. Anger came up in her. Why didn´t she knew this story? She knew everything, but not that! "A man like the scourge of the sea, hunter and executioner of hundreds of pirates. My dad told me he hated the pirates abysmally. Even more than the abysses of hell and he was hunting for them. He is said to have destroyed dozens of ships with his Silent Mary." He paused for a moment. Cecelia listened attentively and could picture this man, even if she did not know his looks.

She saw the black uniform with the white decorations in front of her, as well as the cold, merciless eyes. She saw him stand proudly on the ship, head high and maybe even a pinch of arrogance. Like a king.

"Like I said, he attacked dozens of ships!" Sergio continued. "According to my father, the Silent Mary had over a hundred guns on board, so it was easy to defeat any ship with a pirate flag the pirates are very superior and the few pirates who actually survived the attacks were shot mercilessly. "

"And on?" Cecelia asked eagerly. This story fascinated her, very much. She was even better than the legend of a curse on a treasure of the Aztecs. Maybe because the scourge of the sea really lived and the existence of the Aztec curse wasn´t prove. Sergio grimaced "It's said his ship crashed in the Devil's Triangle, my dad did not tell me why he sailed in, but it said he was trying to kill a pirate," he sighed shortly, "and that cost him his life." "Died as he lived!" Said Cecelia. Again, the infamous Devil's Triangle came to her mind. It had cost the life of the "Butcher of the Sea", including his crew.

And for the first time a cold shiver ran down her back and a slight fear enveloped her heart like an iron hand. For the first time she dreaded the triangle. "Exactly," said Sergio, "But he was the best pirate hunter ever, and my dad told me it all in great awe." "I believe you!", Said Cecelia only and lost in thought again to the triangle. If the biggest pirate hunter of that time had died in it, why should not others lose their lives in it?

But why? What was the danger in the triangle? What caused this fear among the sailors?

"I wonder why the triangle is so dangerous," murmured Sergio. He probably had similar thoughts as she had. "Me too," she said "A fisherman from home once told me in the triangle that evil spirits live there and attack everyone." "So a scary story," Sergio said and then his eyes lit up, even in this dim light Cecelia could see that. He seemed to have come up with something new "Do you know pirate stories?" "Pirate stories?" She repeated. This kind of story was not popular, but she, too, had heard the awe and fear in the narrator's voice when she heard it. And with so many stories she could understand that.

Blackbeard, a very cruel pirate who killed as others changed their socks. He shot at his own men to push them on. And yet: Beheaded, so it was said. And yet his body swam around his ship three times. Hector Barbossa, a terribly selfish pirate who had only his own goal and well-being in mind and did not hesitate to shoot his men. And yet again there was a story that had fascinated her.

Jack Sparrow.

A pirate like no one else. He was said to have disappeared in front of several members of the East India Trading Company. He plundered the port of Nassau without firing a single shot. Rumors said that he even had a compass that supposedly did not point north. Only where should it show then?

"Yes, pirate stories," said Sergio, smiling at her. "Can you tell me one?" "Did not your dad tell you?" Cecelia asked, slightly confused. If his father was so great... Sergio shook his head. "No, he never wanted to tell me," he said, a slight sadness in his voice saying, "But tell me, do you know one?"

"One?" She asked incredulously. One was an insult! "I know a story about a cursed Aztec treasure that was attacked by pirates and punished the pirates with the cruel curse. I know of a story of Davy Jones and his cut-out heart because of the betrayal of the woman he loved. I know a story about a spring that extends your years of life for someone else's, I know a story about a trident that belonged to Poseidon and that holds the power of the seas. "

"Cool!" Said Sergio, his eyes burning with excitement, but Cecelia saw admiration in it. Was he admiring her for her knowledge? "Are you telling me?" "Not today, we have to get up tomorrow morning," Cecelia said, plumping herself back in her hammock. However, she did not miss the disappointment in Sergio's face and inside she had to laugh. He pulled a face like a child who did not get his way.

"What do you think of a deal?", He then asked and Cecelia looked at him again, asking "I tell you all the stories that my father has told me and you tell me your pirate stories"

"You seem to be very fascinated by pirates," she replied dry, but had to smile "But well, I tell you everything I know and you tell me everything you know" "Great.", He said happily and also plunged into his hammock.

Cecelia was staring at the wood above her. All of a sudden the tiredness was back and her eyes closed. She also noticed that she started to like Sergio slowly. Even if he was very talkactive.

But Cecelia could not guess what danger they would soon be floating.


	5. The Devil´s Triangle

That´s how it went for a few days. During the day, Cecelia and Sergio made their usual duties under the bosunkey's critical, keen eyes. In the evenings, when they were sent to bed, they remained awake, despite tiredness, and each told a story they knew. But only one to awake the other's curiosity.  
Cecelia liked that. The curiosity for new stories from Sergio - who was really a good narrator - was now her daily companion throughout the day and she noticed how the sympathy for him grew daily. And yet that meant she had to be more careful about what she said and how she said it. Even if she liked him, she did not trust him. And certainly not their true identity.  
But somehow there was also a slight discomfort for this boy, but she pushed it aside. But that was only there, because he was just one of the higher people and had not fought every day for survival and for every grain and every coin. There was a certain aversion just there. She ignored this skillfully.  
But the boatman's gaze was only more critical. He was not fond of Cecelia anyway, but every time he saw them together and watched them smile, he narrowed his eyes so that Cecelia wondered how he could see anything at all. Most of all, she had the feeling of often having that look on her face, and more than once she flooded the fear that he knew her facade. That he had seen through her. Accordingly, she approached each task highly concentrated.  
Just do not make a mistake! He's just waiting to denounce you for something, she kept thinking if she had that look on her. Even if her concentration got a slight kink, but that overdrawn her.  
Cecelia lost her sense of time while she was aboard. She didn´t risked looking up to the sun and nobody else had a clock on board. Only when the sun went down did she know that the day was over and when it rised she realized that the day was coming.  
One day, Cecelia knelt on deck and scrubbed it with a rag that was old. The sun burned her neck, her throat was dry, her clothes stuck to her uncomfortable body and her stringy hair seemed to be already matted. She wanted to wash, but she was only allowed to throw some water in the face in the morning. There was nothing more. Even though she would have liked to jump into the sea, she kept scrubbing the deck. The sky above was bright blue, no cloud was there. Although - no! That was a lie.  
Cecelia could see something a few miles away, in front of the ship. Smoldering, almost black clouds were in the sky. A storm? Oh no! No storm, please, Cecelia thought. The Screaming Lily didn´t came in one and she was happy about it. Should that be the first one?  
Until she discovered a black rock formation under the clouds. Even from a distance, she saw the comic shape, it reminded her of a triangle. There was a hole in the front, also rough in a triangular shape, and even from this came the deepest darkness. Everywhere Cecelia could discover even smaller rocks. A deadly trap for ships.  
Cecelia's eyes narrowed. She knew this form! From countless cards. And suddenly the card came to her mind, where she had drawn a marker with her own blood. And then Cecelia knew what the rocks were!  
A cold shower ran over her back, despite the heat, goose bumps ran down her arms. That was it! The object of their fascination.  
The Devil´s Triangle.  
 _So that's what it looked like in real life!_ Cecelia did not know if she should be happy or afraid. This formation looked very threatening, the dark clouds above looked tight. As if no light had ever come through. The clouds seemed to swallow the sun.  
"What are you staring at, boy?" A sharp, cold voice brought her back. Cecelia blinked and saw a soldier standing in front of her. With black hair tied to the braid and eyes like tunnels "These are just rocks!"  
"Ship to starboard!", A voice sounds from the crow's nest. Automatically, Ceceli's head snapped back, despite the soldier who had "caught" her. And indeed - there was a ship. A big one with dark sails. And up there was a flag. A black with white skull and crossed swords.  
The pirate flag! That was a pirate ship.  
Cecelia swallowed, her heart started to beat faster. And with the blood, it also seemed to pump fear through her veins. Had fate conspired against her? First the triangle and now a pirate ship ?! She could just hope that the captain was clever and did not order to take the course on the rocks.  
The captain had also discovered the pirates. With his telescope he stood at the wheel, concentrating, one eye closed to see better. The pirate ship seemed to be fixed on her ship.  
"Head for the rocks, where we can hang them!" He commanded in a loud voice.  
Cecelia's heart slipped and she froze in fear and terror. An icy hand seemed to surround her heart and she was unable to move. Fear flowed through her.  
The captain wanted to sail into the triangle! Did he not know the danger? The thought quickly rejected Cecelia, but the fear and even quiet doubts could not be turned off. The captain had to know how dangerous the triangle was! How many ships were shattered in it!  
But his helmsman did not argue and set course for the threatening rocks without hesitation. With each mile they came closer, Cecelia's heart beat was faster and she fought the urge to hide below deck.  
What is better? Hide under deck or jump off-board and hope these pirates have mercy with me? Cecelia asked herself.  
"Get up!", She was grumbled and suddenly pulled up with a quick jerk. Out of sheer fear, her legs almost failed and she threatened to collapse. If that somebody, who pulled her up, did not react quickly and held on, she would probably have fallen.  
"Soft knees?", She was mockingly asked and she recognized the soldier. Skeptical and mocking, he looked at her and Cecelia felt quickly reminiscent of her tormentors on Santa Mária "There is one who thinks of old sailor's yarn, lad!" With hard eyes he fixed Cecelia "These stories about the Devil´s Triangle are just fairy tales, so do not shit yourself!"  
Cecelia just swallowed. The rock formation towered threateningly in front of them. She had not realized how close they were to the triangle. The bow of the ship was already swallowed by darkness. Cecelia saw smaller rocks everywhere, sticking out of the water like knives. And very slowly, the rest of the ship followed and plunged into the darkness.  
Cecelia didn´t dare to breathe, she held her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest so loudly that everybody had to hear it. Here was nothing but darkness. Above them were only rocks and the clouds that actually did not let sunlight in. The water beneath them had turned black.  
She was not the only one who did not make a sound. The whole ship seemed silenced. Even the Capitán made no sound, and Cecelia was sure he was just wondering if he had made the wrong decision to judge his face. Only the creaking of the wood could be heard. It just made everything scarier.  
Cecelia saw Sergio standing across from her, standing there just as quiet and making no noise as everyone else. Only the look in his eyes betrayed his fear and when he looked her in the eyes Cecelia knew that he had recognized the danger too, before they had sailed into it.  
Please, dear God, let us get out of here, prayed Cecelia.  
"Capitán! There!", The voice of the first officer broke the silence and Cecelia winced violently. There she was not alone. Also some soldiers and also Sergio flinched.  
The officer pointed to something in the distance. Cecelia did not really saw what, except that where the officer pointed out was thick fog.  
 _Fog? Oh great! It was just missing!_ , she thought. Was the fog the reason for the breaking of so many ships? Did the captains no longer saw what they were doing? But something said to Cecelia that that was not the answer.  
"Fog?", She heard someone mumble "Muy bien! That was just missing!" Murmured another with a sarcastic voice.  
Suddenly Cecelia saw something in the fog. Something dark. She squinted and saw the vague outline of a ship. Or rather a shipwreck, because the ship did not seem to be whole anymore. Even so, she realized that a mast was lying in the water. Sails were not there. She recognized only shreds and broken wood. Overall, it looked like a ghost ship, which was only amplified by the fog.  
 _What. Was. That?_ The fear in Cecelia intensified and she involuntarily backed away. Until the railing felt at the hip.  
"That's a wreck!" One of them said loudly and fixed the...thing.  
"It's approaching us!" Said the first officer. Indeed, Cecelia quickly recognized more of the wreckage. And also that it was moving towards her ship. The ghostly, pitch-black appearance approached the Screaming Lily!  
"You and you, up here!" Came the voice of the Capitán. Cecelia looked at him and saw that he pointed his finger at her and Sergio. Cecelia swallowed, then pulled herself together and ran up the stairs.  
And not a second too early. For the next moment there was a quick wash. Cecelia could see how a soldier was suddenly seized by something dark and even something dark was pulled down his throat.


End file.
